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Postmodernism and the Emerging Church Movement

Religion News Blog, Netherlands
July 15, 2006
www.religionnewsblog.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Saturday July 15, 2006

It was long overdue, but Apologetics Index has just posted a major entry on the Emerging Church Movement:

Postmodernism and the Emerging Church Movement

The author is David Kowalski, an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God.

He has written a number of articles, including two in the recently published “Encyclopedia of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity” (Berkshire Publishing).

Kowalski’s article provides:

An appropriate response to the Emerging Church Movement

An overview of the distinctive teachings and goals of the Emergent Church

A look at the movement’s methods and communication strategies

The Church’s proper role in postmodern culture

An overview of the movement’s leaders

An overview of the movement’s opponents

A (satirical) glossary for those who are new to the conversation

Overviews of Emergent Church teachings versus those of the Bible and non-Emergent Christians on the topics of Truth, Scripture, Faith, Doctrine, Lifestyle and ministry

A listing of pro, neutral, and contra web sites

Recommended books

“Any thoughtful consideration of the removal of the foundation and the boundaries for Christian faith must conclude that this postmodernization is fatal to biblical faith, stripping the term “faith” of any real meaning and opening the door to substantial change in fundamental beliefs. These changes can be found most prominently in the soteriology and eschatology of emergents. After they have undergone emergent accommodation to postmodernism, doctrines such as atonement and judgment no longer resemble the biblical teachings Evangelicals believe are non-negotiable. The collection of quotations from emergents found later in this article should give the reader an idea of the extent to which heresies have been entertained in the movement.
The effect of the emergent movement’s presence in the body of Christ is equivalent to both an autoimmune disease (such as multiple sclerosis, in which the body attacks itself with harmful consequences) and an immunocompromising disease (such as AIDS, in which the body lowers its defenses to external pathogens). The Emerging Church movement acts like an autoimmune disease, stripping Christian terminology of its biblical meanings, and it acts like an immunocompromising disease, disarming the body’s defenses against foreign invasion. The result is that this movement represents a deadly influence within the Church which requires a decisive response from those who recognize it as such.“
- Source: David Kowalski, “An Appropriate Response to the Emerging Church Movement“

Published from Amsterdam, Netherlands, Religion News Blog is a service of Apologetics Index. Apologetics Index provides research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions, Christian denominations, trends within the Christian church, and related issues.